The Cursed Chronicles: Year 6

Chapter 56

"I'll help you in any way I can," Katrina promised. 

"Miss Fizzleworth...Katrina," she sighed. "I'm hoping to help you."

"Is this about me going back to Beaxbatons, because I know there's nothing you can-"

"It has a bit to do with that, but that's not the main thing of it," Professor McGonagall interrupted dismissively. "I'm just thinking...I was wondering...I'm hoping you might be able to enlighten me on some details I'm not yet privy to."

"Meaning?"

"I know you were very young, and it's a difficult memory to relive, but could you perhaps tell me what you remember about your childhood? Before the orphanage?"

"Before the orphanage? I was three headmistress, there isn't much-"

"Anything will do," McGonagall insisted. "If you don't mind."

"No I don't mind," Katrina admitted. "Well...I'm not exactly sure what to say. I remember my mother..."

"Do you remember what she looked like?"

"Just images, flashes. She was blonde. I think she had my eyes. She loved me very much."

"I'm certain she did," McGonagall agreed sympathetically. "And your father?"

"I don't remember him," Katrina confessed. "Sometimes I dream I remember his voice, but I think that's impossible. I don't remember him ever being around. But in my dreams he's singing with my mother."

"What are they singing?"

"It's this song she used to sing when she thought I was asleep, and sometimes when she held me. I think she used to sing it with him. I think she missed him, I think she was a little sad. It's this muggle song, Can't Help Falling in Love. McGonagall inhaled a little sharply, barely audible, but Katrina still noticed. 

"Can I ask why you're curious, professor?"

"I...I'd like to be sure before I...do you remember anything else?"

"Not much. Not anything that would be helpful anyway. The way she laughed, the way I felt when she smiled at me."

"And the night you were orphaned? Do you...I mean, would you be comfortable sharing...?"

"All I remember is that there were a lot of loud sounds. People yelling, knocking, wood splitting, crackling. She hid me under the floorboards and told me to be very quiet, and...I was, for some reason. I remember being scared, terrified, and I was so young, I should have cried but...I didn't. I fell asleep somehow. The rest is a blur. All I know is what I was told. They found me in the rubble of the burned house, untouched by the fire. My mother had left my name in my pocket I guess, she must not have been sure she would make it. But the paper had burnt a little so it just said "Katrina F." Don't know what possessed them to assume it was "Fizzleworth," but it makes some sort of sense in the grand scheme of things I suppose."

"Right," McGonagall seemed tense, pensive. More so than Katrina had ever seen her. Her stomach was alight with nervous bubbling, and though she didn't know quite yet what was going on, she had the distinct feeling that it was changing everything. 

"Nothing else?" McGonagall asked. Katrina shook her head. 

"They don't know much about the fire. No one remembers seeing people around the house, jsut heard a lot of yelling. They figured a drunk mob carried her off somewhere. There was a river nearby, it's too deep to dredge, so... No one found remains or saw her or anything. Just me. Me and..."

"And what?" Katrina laughed a little nervously.

"Well it's nothing really, it's silly actually. I always thought it was anyway. All the neighbors could say was that they'd seen an "unusual cat" in the yard. Just a cat, probably a stray, there were a lot around there. The authorities got a good laugh out of it, the neighbors were so sure it was strange, said they'd never seen it there before and they'd seen all the neighborhood strays. Just a cat. That's the only clue. A cat. I told you, it's silly, there's really nothing-"